The Girl Who Fell From The Sky - Rebecca Royce Page 0,53

have referenced the attack, asking how I am coping with the new threat.”

“And?”

“Part of me needs to be beside Torrin,” he confessed, staring straight into my eyes. “It’s where I have always been, protecting him, even when he claims he needs no protection. Only now, this time, the larger part of me knows that I am doing what both of us—what all of us—need me to do. Protecting you, for you are mine.”

I rose up on my toes and pressed a close-mouthed kiss to his lips. “Thank you.”

Between the two of us, Nox and I made quick work of the books I’d brought up here. Many were still in Astor’s quarters, but we gathered what we could immediately carry, wrapped them in two blankets, and carried them out into the corridor.

Which was chaos.

A howl sounded around us, like an animal…and yet not. People winced, throwing themselves against the walls. A woman rocked back and forth. I held to the bravery I’d felt earlier. Yes, that was terribly scary, but somehow, I was going to be worthy to be their wife, meaning I wasn’t going to have a panic attack.

Nox shook his head. “That’s close. The Reamers got through the first blockade.”

I spun in a circle. Dreama was nowhere to be found right now. What would she be doing were she here? I grabbed on to Nox’s arm. “What has to happen now? What would you like to see take place?”

“I’d like it if these people took shelter. I know the tunnels are not going to happen, but if they could all move into rooms and houses, get out of the way.”

I waved my hands in the air, shouting to be heard over the sounds of whatever destruction was taking place nearby. “Everyone right this second, get yourselves somewhere else. Inside.” I clapped my hands. “Now.”

My heart full on raced, and that wasn’t good in these circumstances, but I couldn’t be thinking about me. I could Bianca-worry later. My focus had to be on others. What was even stranger than this weird shift in me, was that everyone listened. They ran inside, stopped panicking and got out of the way.

“Well done.” Nox squeezed my shoulder. “Let’s take your own advice and go to—”

I wasn’t sure what he’d have said right then, because that was when I got my first full view of a Reamer. Two of them stood staring at us. They were dressed in full body armor that had clearly seen better days. And they were completely intimidating. Skin peeling, eyes bulging, slack mouths drooling. They seemed more animal than man, and yet I was perfectly sure that was what I looked at right now. Men who wanted to kill us.

Nox shoved me behind him. “Back up slowly.”

I did just as instructed. “What’s wrong with them?”

I’d thought them enemies, bad people who hurt others, but there was so much more to it than that. The one on the left, the taller of the two, flared his nostrils and charged toward us. Nox pulled his sword that was always strapped to his back. They lunged at each other, the sounds of their weapons clinking. Nox darted forward, shouting over his shoulder.

“Run, Bianca. Now.”

I turned and did as he instructed. If I had any means to protect myself, I’d like to think I would have fought with Nox, but I was weaponless and completely untrained. No one was willing to participate in a duel of knowledge of ancient poetry, which was really my only area of expertise. The best thing I could do was to get out of his way. I shot a look over my shoulder. Both of the monsters attacked Nox now, but as I watched, he beheaded one of them. I winced and tried not to cry out. I was certain they’d kill all of us without uttering a word if they could.

There was a niche behind me, probably the door to someone’s quarters—or house? Strong hands grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me in.

“Your Highness,” someone said. It took me a full minute to realize that person meant me.

Highness. Wife to the king. Torrin. My men. Oh gods.

“We are committed to your safety.”

The person who had pulled me into the hovel, or maybe someone else, pressed something metal into my hand. I didn’t have to look down to know it was a blade. What was I supposed to do with this? I didn’t know how to fight. I barely even knew how to breathe like a normal